Two SUNY Jamestown Community College faculty were recently awarded a Community College Internationalization Fellowship by Cornell University’s Latin American & Caribbean Studies Program.
Dr. Jessica Swanson, assistant professor for the Occupational Therapy Assistant program, and Michelle Richau, World Languages instructor, will split a $1,000 stipend and have access to Cornell University's libraries, outreach coordinator, and regional experts to support the redevelopment of JCC’s Globalize Your Mind course.
A primary purpose of the fellowship is to expand world views of those living in rural areas.
“Through a spring 2025 semester course and a service-learning experience in Guatemala, our students will gain global awareness of Guatemala’s natural and human systems,” Swanson said. “We will cover everything from the country’s geography, climate, and biodiversity to its culture, education, healthcare, and politics.”
Students taking the Globalize Your Mind classroom course will also travel to Guatemala for a 10- to 14-day service learning study abroad experience during summer 2025.
Any faculty member in any discipline at a 2-year college in upstate New York was eligible to apply for the fellowship. Faculty at Corning Community College, Monroe Community College, Onondaga Community College, and Tompkins Cortland Community College were also selected for the fellowship.